


Just Breathe

by fandomshere_fandomsthere



Category: Video Blogging RPF, Youtube RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, College AU, F/M, M/M, Panic Attacks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-07
Updated: 2016-11-07
Packaged: 2018-08-29 14:03:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8492584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandomshere_fandomsthere/pseuds/fandomshere_fandomsthere
Summary: Why do people who hate parties always end up getting dragged to them?





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first Septiplier I've ever written! I'm a little nervous about posting it, but I think it's okay :) Enjoy! <3

            Jack stood on the sidewalk outside of the frat house, staring at it warily. The dull thud of bass met his ears, and he winced mentally at the thought of how loud it must be inside. Shadows moved around in the windows, silhouetted by the lights inside. There were so many people there that their individual frames were lost to a constantly writhing mass. It made Jack a little sick to look at. People had started to overflow into the house’s yard, standing in tight circles and talking animatedly. The occasional whoop, excited scream, or particularly loud peal of laughter pierced the night air. Behind Jack, the door of Felix’s car slammed loudly, causing him to wince.

            “I don’t know about this, Felix,” Jack mumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets.

            “It’ll be fine!” Felix said. He clapped Jack on the back, causing the smaller man to stagger forward a few steps. “I’ll be with you the whole time bro. No worries.”

            Jack looked up at his friend, who was sporting a wide, reassuring smile. He let out a small sigh through his nose and relented. “Alright. But you’d better not ditch me.”

            “Wouldn’t dream of it!” Felix said. He grabbed the sleeve of Jack’s shirt and headed into the party, the music growing louder with every step. Jack swallowed down his nervousness and ignored the pounding of his heart. He’d be fine. Everything would be fine. Felix was going to stick with him.

            Jack’s labored heartbeat quickly faded from his immediate thoughts as they entered the house. The music was almost deafening; Jack could hardly hear himself think. People talking—or shouting, rather—over the music only added to the din, and Jack’s head throbbed in tandem with the pounding bass. It was suddenly unbearably warm. The light was dim, and the sour tang of alcohol hung in the air. There were people everywhere, on every side of him. Jack wrapped his hand around Felix’s wrist tightly to steady himself. He was fine. It was okay. Felix was there. As if reading his mind, Felix twisted his arm in Jack’s grip so he could grab the other man’s wrist, squeezing gently. Jack felt some of the tension leave his shoulders.

            The two of them pushed through the crowd until they found Marzia. She smiled and hugged Jack when she saw him, not bothering to try and greet him verbally over the music. Jack squeezed her back tightly. He felt even more at ease with two friends with him. They chatted for a bit, Felix with his arm around Marzia’s shoulders. Jack noticed the way his eyes darted down to his girlfriend’s lips every so often, how his gaze darkened a bit when she laughed, throwing her head back and exposing her neck. Jack felt more than a little awkward. He knew that Felix had barely been able to see Marzia—they’d both been extremely busy for the past few weeks. Part of him wanted to suggest that they leave, but he was actually starting to have a little fun. Whoever was in charge of the music had turned down the volume a bit, and the crowd didn’t seem so huge once he was inside of it.

            “Hey, are you guys thirsty?” Felix asked.

            “A little, yeah,” Jack said. He’d been sweating, and his mouth felt dry.

            “Definitely,” Marzia agreed.

            “I’ll go get us some drinks then,” Felix said. “Be right back.”

            “Hey, wait,” Jack called just as his friend turned around. “Can—can I come with?” It was stupid, but he didn’t want to lose sight of Felix. He had a tendency to get distracted, talking to one of the many people he knew and disappearing for hours at a time. Sticking to Marzia like a scared child wasn’t appealing either—she was one of his friends, and a close one at that, but she wasn’t the one who had agreed to babysit Jack that night.

            “Sure bro,” Felix said with a shrug. Jack followed him closely as they disappeared into the crowd. He hadn’t managed to grab Felix’s wrist this time. He pushed through the crowd as quickly as he could, constantly muttering “excuse me” and “sorry” while desperately trying to keep track of Felix. Felix, unfortunately, had much more experience pushing through crowds than Jack did, and soon he was nowhere to be found.

            “Shit,” Jack muttered. He stood on his tiptoes and craned his neck, trying to look over the heads of people taller than him in hopes of finding a blonde head of hair, but he couldn’t see Felix anywhere.

            Suddenly the music seemed even louder than before. The bass went from a dull pound to a deafening banging, assaulting Jack’s ears and making his head spin. The chatter of the crowd around him bounced around in his brain and made his skin crawl. Everyone was staring at him, of course they were, he was a short exchange student with bright green hair and a thick accent who was freaking out in the middle of a party in a house he’d never been in, his hands shaking and his breath coming in short breaths and his eyes stinging. No, no, he couldn’t cry right now, he couldn’t break down just because his friend had vanished. But everything was too much, it was all _too fucking much,_ his chest hurt, his knees were shaking, his ears were ringing. He felt someone’s hand, large and warm on his shoulder and heard a deep voice talking to him, but he couldn’t see who it was, all he could see was his shoes and the floor and his feet were moving now and the carpet gave way to linoleum and the noise started to fade but his ears still ached.

            “Hey, hey,” a smooth, deep voice said in a hushed tone, “it’s okay. Can you do me a favor and look at me?”

            Jack looked up, neck stiff, frame trembling slightly. His throat was tight, his chest ached, his breath was still coming in gasps. He was barely able to register the man standing in front of him.

            “You’re okay,” the voice said again. Jack realized it was coming from the man who had his hands on Jack’s biceps, gently rubbing up and down. “You’re safe. We’re in the kitchen. It’s a lot quieter in here.”

            Jack nodded, trying to focus his eyes. He saw warm brown eyes and bright red hair.

            “Breathe with me,” the red haired man said. He took a deep breath through his nose, never breaking eye contact with Jack. Jack mirrored his actions, holding his breath for a few moments, and breathing out through his mouth. The two of them repeated this action a few times, and Jack felt his head begin to clear. The ringing stopped, the ache faded, and the room came into focus. Jack blinked a few times and let out a shaky breath.

            “Fuck,” he muttered, wiping his eyes with his sleeve. Of course he was crying.

            “Are you okay?” the stranger asked, his hands still on Jack’s arms.

            “Yeah,” Jack said. He swallowed thickly.

            The stranger let out a relieved little sigh and let go of Jack. Jack got a good look at the other man for the first time. He didn’t have a full head of red hair—the sides were black. His eyes were dark brown, like melted chocolate, behind his glasses. He had a strong jaw and stubbly beard and wasn’t much taller than Jack. Jack swallowed thickly. Whoever this guy was, he was cute as hell.

            “I’m Mark, by the way,” the stranger said, holding out his hand.

            “Jack,” Jack replied as he shook Mark’s hand. He had a strong grip. “And, uh…sorry about that.” Jack shoved his hands in his pockets and looked at the floor.

            “Nah, it’s fine,” Mark said, drawing Jack’s gaze back up. “Panic attacks are a bitch.”

            “Is that what that was?” Jack asked.

            “Seemed like it,” Mark said. “Was that your first one?”

            “I guess,” Jack muttered. “I’ve never really had reason to have one. I usually avoid parties like this…”

            “Introvert huh? I get that. Me too.”

            Jack raised an eyebrow. “Then why are you here?”

            Mark shrugged. “Didn’t feel like being cooped up in my dorm I guess. I’m glad I came though.” He smiled at Jack, and he felt a faint blush spread across his cheeks.

            “Yeah, me too,” Jack said. His heartbeat had picked up again, but for an entirely different reason.

            “I’m gonna guess that someone dragged you here against your will?” Mark said.

            Jack ran a hand through his hair. “Well, not exactly against my will…I didn’t really want to come, but I didn’t want to disappoint him, so yeah. He’s probably off somewhere with his girlfriend now, though.”

            Mark’s eyes searched Jack’s face for a moment. “Do you want to leave then?”

            “Hell yes I do,” Jack said with a laugh. “I fuckin’ hate huge parties like this.”

            “Want to go back to my dorm? I have Overwatch, if you play,” Mark said after a moment of hesitation, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand, the other in his pocket. Jack blushed, heat flooding his cheeks. Mark’s face was pink, and he wasn’t looking directly at Jack. He moved his hand from his neck to run it through his hair, slicking it back, a few strands falling on his forehead. Jack flicked his gaze up and down Mark’s body, appreciating the way his black skinny jeans clung to his form and how his red flannel rolled up to the elbows showed off his arms.

            “Yeah, I play,” Jack said with a smile. The grin that stretched across Mark’s face made his eyes light up and Jack’s stomach do a flip.

            “Let’s get out of here,” Mark said as he grabbed Jack’s hand. Jack held on tightly as they moved out of the kitchen and through the crowd, not wanting to lose him. He sent Felix a text letting him know where he was before shoving his phone in his pocket. At the moment, he was more concerned with the man in front of him than his friend.

            Maybe parties weren’t so bad after all.


End file.
